Renwick Lecture Series features Washington political insider

Will rising gas prices hurt President Obama’s re-election chances? Who will independents vote for in the upcoming presidential election? Can the Democrats win back Congress? These questions and many more are up for discussion as respected Washington political insider, Charlie Cook, visits the Loyola University New Orleans campus to take part in the Institute of Politics’ Ed Renwick Lecture Series on Wednesday, March 28 at 7 p.m. The event will be held in Roussel Performance Hall in the Communications/Music Complex and is free and open to the public.

“Politics on the Menu: Washington Insider Charlie Cook Dishes on Election 2012” will be followed by a question and answer period moderated by Fox 8 journalist Lee Zurik. The lecture will offer attendees a rare opportunity to interact with one of the nation’s leading authorities on U.S. elections and political trends.

Cook is the publisher of The Cook Political Report and a political analyst for the National Journal Group, where he writes weekly for National Journal magazine and CongressDailyAM. He writes a regular column for the Washington Quarterly, published by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, and is a political analyst for NBC News.

Tommy Screen, director of Loyola’s Institute of Politics, says Cook’s keen political insight has gained him respect from both Democrats and Republicans.

“Charlie Cook is considered one of the best political analysts because his judgment is not clouded by any particular political ideology,” Screen said. “He looks for trends and identifies what issues move voters to the polls and which ones keep them at home, which is why he was called ‘one of the best non-partisan handicappers of congressional races’ by the Washington Post. It will be great to get a sneak peak of the upcoming election from one of the nation’s best political minds.”

The event also marks the celebration of the 2011-12 Institute of Politics graduating class. With 34 graduating fellows, it marks one of the largest classes in the history of the institute.

Entering its 44th year, the Institute of Politics provides a comprehensive political education to New Orleans’ future elected officials, journalists and civic activists. The mission of IOP is to locate men and women with outstanding leadership potential and bring them together for a series of lectures and discussions on practical politics and government by prominent, experienced guest speakers.

In an attempt to accomplish this goal, fellows are exposed to the history of politics in New Orleans and Louisiana, and begin to understand how that history influences voters’ and politicians’ decision making.

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